Confection package



July 5, 1932. R MEAN-Y 1,865,535

CONFECTION PACKAGE Filed March 3. 1950 Patented July 1932 .UNITED STATES ROBERT E. MEANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOIR, TO WM.

WRIGLEY JR. COMPANY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

CONFECTION PACKAGE Application filed March 3, 1930. Serial No. 432,830.

This invention relates to improvements in confection packages and more particularly to an improved package for chewing gum and like confections of a lozenge or pellet form,

and the method of wrapping the same. a

A popular form of chewing gum is the socalled sugar-coated lozenge or pellet, and a convenient method of packaging these pellets is to wrap a given number, say ten, in a moisture-proof package, the pellets being arranged in flatwise contact so that the packages are the same size asthe familiar package of stick gum. The individual pellets are preferably rectangular pieces of coated gum flat- 16 tened on their sides and having rounded edges and corners so that when they are placed on edge face to face a V-shaped recess or crevice is formed between the edges of the pellets.

In the packaging of these pellets it is de- 2 sirable that they be held in place after the package has been opened at one end and one of the pellets removed, so that those remaining will not become dislodged and drop out ofthe package when carried in the pocket.

oreover, in order to keep the contents fresh, it is preferable to completely seal the package to prevent the entrance of moisture.

Heretofore it has been the practice to use a wrapper of heavy parafiine paper which,

when folded around the contents, is subjected to heat causing the parafline to soften sufliciently to seal all openings through which moisture might ente i The object of the present invention is to provide a package embodyingthe pellet-retaining and wrapper-sealing features, but utilizing an outer wrapper of metal foil which is folded and sealed in the same manner as parafiine paper wrapper, the novel feature being the method by which the bonding or sealing of the foil surfaces is accomplished.

It may be stated in this connect-ion that metal foil has heretofore been used in wrapping of stick gum as well as packages, but such wrappers have been folded and not sealed, owing to difliculty of effectively applying adhesive to the smooth metallic surfaces of the foill The novel method of packaging is disclosed in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a'perspective view of the complete package.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a partially wrapped package, showing the inner pai'affine paper wrapper and the outer wrapper about to be applied, and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a single pellet.

The package illustrated contains ten pellets 1, each having the shape shown in Figure 3. These pellets are arranged in a row face to face, and are first wrapped or inclosed in an inner wrapper 2 of parafiine paper. This wrapper is folded around the row of pellets lengthwise with its edges overlapping and sealed together along one side by subjecting the overlapping edges to heat sufficient to soften the parafiine and cause adherence. The wrapper 2 with its contents are also passed through heated dies which depress the paper into the crevices between the pellets, thus formingthe corrugations 3, which tend to retain the pellets in individual compartments or sections. As shown, there are no corrugations between the two pellets at each end of the package, although they may be added if desired. No claim is made for this method of corrugating the inner wrapper, as this method has been shown and described in the Letters Patent to A. C. Kappes, No. 1,550,966.

It will be observed particularly in connection with this inner wrapper 2 that its ends are not sealed, in fact the end margins of the wrapper do notcovcr the endmost pellets, having only narrow edges 2a which are turned inwardly at each end, thus leaving the outer faces of the end pellets almost entirely exposed.

The pellets thus partially wrapped in the inner paraifine wrapper 2 are now wrapped in an outer wrapper 4, which consists of an inner layer of paraifine paper 4a similar to that used for the inner wrapper 2, and an out-er layer of metal foil 46, the two layers being superimposed upon each other so as to form a metal foil wrapper with a parafline paper lining. Any suitable foil may be used for the outer layer 4?), but as apreferable grade, a thin aluminum foil having a roughened or which, as will presently be seen, is the paraffine from the inner layer or lining 4a.

The-outer wrapper 4 is of asize to form a complete enclosure for the partially wrapped package, the two layers being fed from rolls and cut to the proper width as indicated by the saw-tooth longitudinal edges. It will, of course, be understood that the wrapping is accomplished entirely by machines especially desi ed for this work, the loose pellets being ed from a ho per, the wrappers applied and the complete y wrapped packages discharged. Thus as the material for the outer wrapper is cut into the individual wrappers, they are folded about the partially wrapped pac ages With their longitudinal edges overapping along one face of the package, and their extended end portions folded inwardly against the ends of the package in the familiar square end fold shown in Figure 1. Immediately upon completion of the fold ing operation, the package is then advanced into contact with electrically heated blocks or dies which bear against the longitudinal overlapping edges and the end folds, the heat being transmitted through the outer layer of metal foil and melting the parafiine with which the inner layer is impregnated. It will be observed that foil and paper layers of the outer wrapper remain in contact, so that wherever ortions of the wrapper overlap, a layer of t e paraifine paper lies between two layers of foil. Hence the melted parafline forms a bond between the overlapping layers of foil which is rendered more adherent by the pebbled finish of the foil. This a plies also to the end folds, in fact, there is su cient parafline present at these points so that a quantit is actuall squeezed out and hardens along t e lines fold as indicated at 5 in Fi re 1. a

0 complete the wrapping operation, a label or band 6 (Figure 1) is applied around the foil wrapped and sealed package, leaving the foil covered ends exposed, and it is in this form that the package reaches the consumer. To open the package the seal at one end is usually bro'ken, and by squeezing the 7 package near the open end the endmost pellet or pellets are ejected, and the package closed by folding the end inwardly against the remaining pellets.

Inasmuch as the outer wrapper forms the seal, it follows that it is not necessary to completely seal the ends of the inner wrapper 2. In fact, an inner end seal would only interfere'with the ready opening of the package at the end, and perhaps necessitate tearing away the outer wrap r, thus rendering the remaining pellets ifss secure in the package.

Having set forth a preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. A confection package comprising a plurality of lozenge-shaped confections surrounded by an inner wrapper, having its end mar ins folded over but not closing the ends of tIie partially wrapped package, and an outer wrapper of metal foil having a lining of parafline impregnated paper surrounding the package lengthwise with its longitudinal edges overlapping and its projecting side margins folded against the ends of the package, said wrapper being sealed along said overlapping edges and folded end portions by the parafline in said lining rendered adhesive by the application of heat.

2. A confection package comprising a plurality of lozenge-shaped confections enclosed in an inner wrapper partially open at its ends, an outer wrapper consisting of metal foil having a lining of paraifine impregnated paper, said outer wrapper being folded over the ends of the package and sealed by the parafline exuded from the wrapper lining by heat, and an outer band surrounding the package intermediate its ends.

3. A confection package comprising a row of lozenge-shaped confections arranged face to face, an inner wrapper folded around said confections and having relativel short end margins adapted to be folde inwardly around the edges of the endmost confections, leaving the ends substantially open, and an outer wrapper surroundin the package lengthwise with its longitudinal edges overlapping and having relatively long end margins folded and sealed to completely enclose the ends of the partially wrapped package.

4. A confection ackage comprising a pluralityof lozengea ed confections, an inner wrapper surroun ing said confections to form a package partiall open at its ends, an outer wrapper of meta foil folded around said partially wrapped package with its end portions folded at the ends of the package and sealed, and an outer band surrounding the package intermediate its ends.

5. A confection ackage comprising a plurality of lozenge-s aped confections, an inner wrapper surrounding said confections with the contents partially 0 en at its ends, and an outer wrapper of meta foil lined with paraflin paper and folded around the partially wrapped package with its end portions folded over the ends thereof and sealed by the parafiin in said lining.

6. A confection package comprising a plurality of confections arranged face to face and shaped to form depressions between their edges, an inner wrapper of paraflin paper surrounding said confections lengthwise and pressed into said depressions, the end margins of said wrap er being relatively short to partiall cover the endmost confections when foldlid over the edges thereof,

and an outer wrapper folded lengthwise around said partially wrapped package and having and portions folded and sealed to completely enclose the ends of the package.

7. A confection package comprising a plurality of confections arranged face to face and shaped to form depressions between their edges, an inner wrapper of paraflin paper surrounding said confections lengthwise and pressed into saiddepressions, the end margins of said wrapper being relatively short to partially cover the endmost confections when folded over the edges thereof, an outer wrapperof metal foil lined with parafiin paper en- 1 closing the partially wrapped ackage with its end portions folded inwar y and sealed against the ends thereof by the paraffin in said lining, and a band surrounding the foilwrapped package intermediate its ends. v

Signed at Chicago, 111., this 28th day of February, 1930. a

ROBERT E. MEANY. 

